Lantern



Sept. H, i923.

s. G. WARNER LANTERN Filed March 6, 1920 Patented Sept. 11, l1923.-

UNITED STATES PATENlL'I QFFICE.

SELDEN G. WARNER, 0F WEST ORANGE, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, 0F W'EST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA''lbN 0F NEW IEnsEY.

LANTERN. y

Appiicmon med March s, 1920. serial No.` 363,734.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be' it known that I, SELDEN Gr. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to lanterns, and i'nore particularly to lanterns comprising a lamp, such as an incandescent electric lamp, and

a reflector or lens or both a reflector and. a y

lens for projecting the rays of light emitted by such lamp.

In many types of'lanternsit is highly desirable that the lamp be positioned with the illuminating center at a given position fixed witlrrespect to the body of the lantern. .For example, in the case of lanterns provided with reflectors or lenses, such, for example,

vas lanterns employed for the headlights of in an improved construction whereby suchadjustment of the lamp in a lantern may be accurately and readily made iii daylight and without the necessity of lighting the lamp.

More specifically described, my improvedv lantern comprises a body or casing, an adjustably mounted lamp in said casing' and means providing a line or lines of sight for facilitating the adjustment of the lamp to bring the illuminating center or filament thereof to the desired position. The lantern preferably, has means providing two lines of sight intersecting at a given fixed point, whichl point when the lantern is provided with a reflector or a lens, preferably coincides with a focal point of such lens or re- Hector. In case the lantern is-provided both with a lens and with a reflector, the arrangement is preferably such that the lens and reflector have a common focal point and lines of sight are provided which intersect at such point.

Other objects and features of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is directed tol the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification and in which:

Figure lis a central longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of a lantern in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2, 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3, 3 of Figure l, the lamp being omitted;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 of another form of lantern embodying my invention; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5, 5 of Figure 4 with the lamp in elevation.

Referring to the drawing and especially to Figures l to 3, the lantern shown comprises a hollow sheet metal body or casing 1, provided at its forward' end with a shouldered rim or Yflange ,2comprising a part of the bezel for the reception of the transparent closure 4, preferably formed of glass, a small cylindrical .hollow rear-end section 3, anda cupped section 5 intermediate' the cylindrical end section 3 and the flange or rim2. The cupped section 5 conforms to the reflector 6 and provides a seat therefor. The shoulder 7 of the bezel is provided between the flange or rim 2 and the section 5 of the casing. The flange or rim 2 of the bezel for the transparent front closure 4, which is preferably convex, has rotatably mounted thereon the usual split locking ring 8 provided with a number of spaced pins 9 extending through inclined slots or Mopenings 10 provided in the flange, only one of each of these pins land slots being shown. The pins' 9 are of such length as to engage the outer convex surface of the closure 4 whereby the turning of the ring 8 will tighten or loosen the closure in the bezel according vto the direction in" which saidfringis turned.

A`screw l1 extending through opposed lugs provided on the ring 8 Where split, and having threaded engagement with one of such lugs, serves to fasten or lock the closure 4Q in the bezel after the same has been sufficiently tightened by turning the ring 8. The reflector 6 preferably extends a slight distance forwardly of the shoulder 7 of the bezel and the forward edge thereof is substantially opposed to the edge of the glass closure 4. It will thus be apparent that the ring 8 in addition to holding the glass closure 4 firmly in the bezel, also serves to hold the reflector vfirmly in the seat therefor provided by the cupped section 5 of the casing 1. A resilient washer 12 is preferably disposed between the opposed edges of the closure 4 and the reflector 6. The reflector 6 is provided with an opening 13 which when the reflector is properly seated in the cupped section 5 of the lantern casing, establishes communication between the interior of the reflector and the cylindrical rearend section 3 of the lantern casing 1. The end of the section 3 is also provided with an opening 14, aligned with the opening 13 in the reflector. The cupped section 5 of the lantern casing is preferably formed with an intermediate struck up cylindrical -portion 15 adapted to be received in an opening provided in any suitable lantern-supporting device, not shown.

An arm or bracket 16 for supporting a lamp, such as the low-voltage incandescent lamp 17 having a small coil filament 18, is disposed within the section 3 of the lantern casing 1, one end portion of said bracket being suitably secured to the end wall of said section 3 as by means of screws S and the other end portion thereof extending from said section through a suitable opening providedin the side wall of the latter. The arm or bracket 16 is preferably formed of slightly resilient material and is split or kerfed longitudinally and substantially centrally thereof as shown at 19. At the inner end of the split or kerf 19, the bracket 16 is provided with a ball socket 20 in which is mounted a ball 21 formed of slightly resilient material, having a preferably central cylindrical openin 22 extending therethrough and provi ed with a split or kerf 23. The reflector 6 shown is a parabolic reflector and the arrangement of the parts of the lantern is preferably such that the axis of the ball socket 20 in the bracket 16 extends substantially through the centers of the openings 13 and 14 formed in the reflector and the end wall of the section 3 of the lantern casing respectively, and also through the focus of the reflector. The cylindrical stem 24 of the lamp 17 through which the, leads 25 and 26 extend, is mounted in and extends through the cylindrical opening 22 in the ball 21. The kerf 19 in4 the bracket 16 divides the bracket from the ball socket 2() to the outer end thereof into opposed sections 27 and 28 and a bolt or screw 29 extends loosely through the outer end portion of the section 27 and is threaded into the section 28. 1t will be apparent that on sufficiently tightening the bolt 29, the lamp'17, ball 21 and bracket 16 will be incase@ rigidly locked together against all relative movement. It will also be apparent that upon loosening the bolt 29, the lamp 17 is universally adjustable with respect to the bracket 16 and lantern casing 1, for it may then be pivotally moved in any direction and by reason of the engagement of the lamp stem 24 with the opening 22 in the ball 21, the lamp may also be-turned and moved longitudinally in either direction with respect to the ball 21.

v ln a lantern such as described above, it is usually necessary in order to obtain the most effective results, that the lamp be adjusted to a position with its illuminatingr center or filament at the focus of the parabolic reflector 6. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the lamp to this position, the lantern shown is provided with means whereby two lines of sight fixed with Yrespect to the reflector and the lantern casing intersect at the focus F of the reflector. These two lines of sight are indicated in Figure 2 by -AA and B---B, and are respectively Vprovided or dened by pairsof diametrically aligned openings 30,` 30 and 31, 31 in the reflector and corresponding pairs of openings 32, 32 and- 33, 33 in the lantern ycasing 1. Each of the pairs of openings 30, 30 and 31, 31-are preferably quite small and very accurately made and aligned, while the corresponding 'pairs of openings 32, 32 and 33, 33 in the lantern 'casing 1 are preferably considerably larger than the corresponding openings in the reflector in order that there will be no difliculty in registering the openings of the reflector with those of the casing.

In order to adjust the lamp 17 of the lanl tern in Figures 1 and 2 to bring the filaiiint 18 thereof at the desired point, namely,

at the focus of the parabolic reflector 6, itis merely necessary to loosen the screw or bolt 29, sight along the lines A-Aiand B-#B and adjust the lamp in the bracket 16 until the filament is brought at the intersection F of said lines of sight -A and B-B. The screw or bolt 29 is then tightened whereupon the lamp will be rigidly held in the desired adjusted position. It will be obvious that this adjustment may be made in daylight and without the necessity of lighting the lamp.

The lantern illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 comprises a rigid hollow cupped body or casing 1 preferably formed of stiff metallic materiah, and provided at its forward end with an annular shouldered rim or flange 2 comprising a part of the bezel for the reception of the transparent front closure 4', which, as shown herein, is in the form of a corrugated spherical lens such as is commonlyknown as a semaphore lens. The rear end section 5 of the casing 1 is formed spherically so as to conform to and provide a seat for a spherical reflector 6. The ri'- flector 6' is suitably secured to the seat provided by the section 5' as b means of cement. The lens 4 is held in the bezel against the shoulder 7' thereof by means of a split locking ring 8' rotatably mounted on the rim or flange 2 of the bezel in the same manner as is the front closure 4 of the lantern shown in Figure 1, the parts designated by reference characters 8', 9', 10' and 11' corresponding to and having the same function as the parts designated by reference characters 8, 9, 10 and 11 in the construction shown in Figure 1.` A cushioning ring or Washer 12 formed of suitable resilient material is preferably disposed between the shoulder 7' and the peripheral portion of the lens.

The arrangement and construction of the lantern shown in Figures 4 and 5 is preferably such that the axis of the lens 4' coincides With that of the spherical reflector 5', and the focus of the reflector coincides with the back focal point of the lens. Casing 1' is provided between the end section 5 thereof and the rim or fla-nge 2 with an opening 13', and a hollow substantially cylindrical section 8' is suitably secured to the casing l', as by being Welded thereto, about such opening 13'. This section 3' extends outwardly from the casing l' and is preferably so secured to the latter that the axis thereof is approximately at right angles to the common axis of the lens 4' and the reflector 6 and so that said axes intersect approximately at the common focal point of said lens and reflector.v The casing 1' also preferably has suitably secured thereto at the rear end thereof, as by being Welded thereto, a cvlindrical sheet metal section 15 adapted to be secured inan opening of a suitable support for the lantern not shown). A lamp-supporting arm or bracket 16, similar in all respects to the lamp-supporting bracket in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 3, is secured at one end portion thereof within the section 3' to the end Wall` of the latter as by means of screws S', and has its other end portion extending outwardly from the section 3 through an opening O' in the latter. An incandescent lamp 17 having a small coil filament L8' is mounted in the bracket 1G in the same mannel' as is the lanm 17 of the lantern shown in Figure l. The casing l' is provided with one or more lines of sight preferably extending at right angles to the. common* axis of the lens l' and the reflector 6' and preferably intersecting such axis at the cQmmon focal point of said lens and reflector. Preferably I provide two such lines of sight C-C and D-D extending at right angles `to each other and intersecting at the common focal point F' of the lens and the reflector. The lines ofl sight C-C and D--D are preferably respectively provided or defined by pairs of very accurately made and diamctrically aligned openings 34, 34 and 35, 35 in the casing 1'. The 'adjustment "of the lam'p 17 to bring the filament 18 thereof to the common focal point F of the lens and reflector is accomplished in the same manner as described above in connection with the construction shovvnl in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive.

While I have specifically shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is tQ be understood that the same are subiect to numerous changes and modifications Without any departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims. y

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim\as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is. as follows l. In a lantern or thc like, an optical device for projecting a beam of light and a lamp associated with said device and mounted for adjustment bodily With respect thereto, the lantern having means defining lines of sight intersecting at a given point with respect to said optical device for determining when the lamp is adjusted to a position with its illuminating center at said point, the arrangement being such that when the lamp in said position the. illuminating centerthereof may be viewed directly by sighting along either of said lines of sight, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a bod and a lamp mounted foradjustment bodily with respect thereto, said body 'having means defining lines of sight intersecting at a given point with respeetto said body for determining when the lamp is adjusted to a position with its illuminating centernat said point, the arrangement being such that when the lamp is in said position the illuminating center thereof may be viewed directly by sighting along either of said lines of sight, substantially as described. i

3. A lantern comprising a reflector, a. lens, and a lamp mounted for adjustment bodily, the lantern having means defining lines 0f sight intersecting at a given point with respect to the reflector and lens for determining when the lamp is adjusted to a position with its illuminating center at such point, the arrangement being such thatV when the lamp is in said position the illuminating center thereof may be viewed directly by sighting along either of said lines of sight, substantially as described.

This specification signed this 3rd day of March, 1920.

SELDEN G. WARNER. 

